Moov HR: A heart-rate sweatband that can coach you to peak fitness
The Moov HR is a workout tracker that provides real-time coaching and feedback for high intensity interval training.
There are a lot of devices out there that promise to measure heart rate. Most do this with a sensor on your wrist or a strap around your chest. What intrigued me about the Moov HR is that it promises to measure "EKG-accurate heart rate" with a headband or swim cap.
The technique isn't all that different from other trackers. It uses the green LED lights and optical sensors you've seen in Fitbits and the Apple Watch , but the sensors on the Moov HR measure blood density around the temples, rather than blood flow on the wrist. The company said this unique technique "determines heart rate with ultra-fine precision."
The sensor on the Moov HR is waterproof and will last up to six hours, but that's only half the story. It's when you connect to the Moov app on Android or iOS that you can unlock the device's full potential. The app can coach you through a variety of high intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts within your target heart rate zone. This will ensure that you burn more calories and fat in the shortest amount of time. Workouts include HIIT running, indoor cycling and a bodyweight circuit.
I didn't get a chance to see the Moov HR in person, but my colleague Lexy Savvides did. During her brief time with the device, she said that it seemed pretty accurate and the band was comfortable to wear, although she didn't do anything strenuous with it.
The Moov HR will be available in two models, one comes with a sweatband (Moov HR Sweat) and the other with a swim cap (Moov HR Swim). Both models will begin shipping in February 2017 for $99. For a limited time, you can preorder a Moov HR for $60. International pricing and release information wasn't immediately available, but the full US price converts to about £80 in the UK and AU$130 in Australia.
We will have a full review of the Moov HR in the coming months.